Simiple Shear Flow of a Non-Aligning Nematic

1991 ◽  
Vol 248 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. Han ◽  
A. D. Rey

AbstractThis paper presents a nonlinear numerical analysis of the orientational instabilites, textures, and flow patterns of a characteristic rod-like nematic liquid crystal in steady simple shear flow. The parameter vector V=(λ,E) is given by the reactive parameter (λ) and the Ericksen number (E). There are two stationary solutions: in-plane(IP) and out-of-shear-plane(OP), according to whether the average orientation lies in or out of the plane of shear. For a given λ the in-plane stationary solutions may undergo a continuous transition (second order) to two dissipatively equivalent OP solutions when E=Eo or a discontinuous transition (first order) to a highly distorted IP solution when E=Ei. The continuous transition at E=Eo is a supercritical (pitchfork) bifurcation and the discontinuous transition at E=Ei is a limit point instability. Nonlinear numerical analysis shows that for the studied liquid crystal Eo < Ei. The orientation phase diagram for stable stationary solutions therefore consist of a region of OP solutions separated from a region of IP solutions by the curve Vo = (λ,Eo), describing a set of continuous supercritical bifurcations. These stable OP solutions are characterzied by the absence of sharp splay and bend deformations and by the presence of complex secondary flows arising from the three dimensional orientation. Presented results also include the dependence of the three dimensional texture, primary and secondary velocity fields on E.

2013 ◽  
Vol 721 ◽  
pp. 180-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Dupont ◽  
A.-V. Salsac ◽  
D. Barthès-Biesel

AbstractThe objective of this study is to investigate the motion of an ellipsoidal capsule in a simple shear flow when its revolution axis is initially placed off the shear plane. We consider prolate capsules with an aspect ratio of two or three enclosed by a membrane, which is either strain-hardening or strain-softening. We seek the equilibrium motion of the capsule as we increase the capillary number$\mathit{Ca}$, which measures the ratio between the viscous and elastic forces. The three-dimensional fluid–structure interaction problem is solved numerically by coupling a boundary integral method (for the internal and external flows) with a finite element method (for the wall deformation). For any initial inclination with the flow vorticity axis, a given capsule converges towards a unique equilibrium configuration which depends on$\mathit{Ca}$. At low capillary number, the stable equilibrium motion is the rolling regime: the capsule aligns its long axis with the vorticity axis, while the membrane tank-treads. As$\mathit{Ca}$increases, the capsule takes a complex wobbling motion at equilibrium, precessing around the vorticity axis. As$\mathit{Ca}$is further increased, the capsule long axis oscillates about the shear plane, while the membrane rotates around a capsule cross-section that also oscillates over time (oscillating–swinging regime). The amplitude of the oscillations about the shear plane decreases as$\mathit{Ca}$increases and the capsule finally takes a swinging motion in the shear plane. It is found that the transitions from rolling to wobbling and from wobbling to oscillating–swinging depend on the mean energy stored in the membrane.


2016 ◽  
Vol 791 ◽  
pp. 738-757 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Dupont ◽  
F. Delahaye ◽  
D. Barthès-Biesel ◽  
A.-V. Salsac

The objective of the paper is to determine the stable mechanical equilibrium states of an oblate capsule subjected to a simple shear flow, by positioning its revolution axis initially off the shear plane. We consider an oblate capsule with a strain-hardening membrane and investigate the influence of the initial orientation, capsule aspect ratio$a/b$, viscosity ratio${\it\lambda}$between the internal and external fluids and the capillary number$Ca$which compares the viscous to the elastic forces. A numerical model coupling the finite element and boundary integral methods is used to solve the three-dimensional fluid–structure interaction problem. For any initial orientation, the capsule converges towards the same mechanical equilibrium state, which is only a function of the capillary number and viscosity ratio. For$a/b=0.5$, only four regimes are stable when${\it\lambda}=1$: tumbling and swinging in the low and medium$Ca$range ($Ca\lesssim 1$), regimes for which the capsule revolution axis is contained within the shear plane; then wobbling during which the capsule experiences precession around the vorticity axis; and finally rolling along the vorticity axis at high capillary numbers. When${\it\lambda}$is increased, the tumbling-to-swinging transition occurs for higher$Ca$; the wobbling regime takes place at lower$Ca$values and within a narrower$Ca$range. For${\it\lambda}\gtrsim 3$, the swinging regime completely disappears, which indicates that the stable equilibrium states are mainly the tumbling and rolling regimes at higher viscosity ratios. We finally show that the$Ca$–${\it\lambda}$phase diagram is qualitatively similar for higher aspect ratio. Only the$Ca$-range over which wobbling is stable increases with$a/b$, restricting the stability ranges of in- and out-of-plane motions, although this phenomenon is mainly visible for viscosity ratios larger than 1.


2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shriram B. Pillapakkam ◽  
Pushpendra Singh

Abstract A three dimensional finite element scheme for Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of viscoelastic two phase flows is implemented. The scheme uses the Level Set Method to track the interface and the Marchuk-Yanenko operator splitting technique to decouple the difficulties associated with the governing equations. Using this numerical scheme, the shape of Newtonian drops in a simple shear flow of viscoelastic fluid and vice versa are analyzed as a function of Capillary number, Deborah number and polymer concentration. The viscoelastic fluid is modeled via the Oldroyd-B model. The role of viscoelastic stresses in deformation of a drop subjected to simple shear flow and its effect on the steady state shape is analyzed. Our results compare favorably with existing experimental data and also help in understanding the role of viscoelastic stresses in drop deformation.


Author(s):  
Orest Shardt ◽  
J. J. Derksen ◽  
Sushanta K. Mitra

When droplets collide in a shear flow, they may coalesce or remain separate after the collision. At low Reynolds numbers, droplets coalesce when the capillary number does not exceed a critical value. We present three-dimensional simulations of droplet coalescence in a simple shear flow. We use a free-energy lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) and study the collision outcome as a function of the Reynolds and capillary numbers. We study the Reynolds number range from 0.2 to 1.4 and capillary numbers between 0.1 and 0.5. We determine the critical capillary number for the simulations (0.19) and find that it is does not depend on the Reynolds number. The simulations are compared with experiments on collisions between confined droplets in shear flow. The critical capillary number in the simulations is about a factor of 25 higher than the experimental value.


Author(s):  
Yuki ICHIKAWA ◽  
Yohsuke IMAI ◽  
Daiki MATSUNAGA ◽  
Takuji ISHIKAWA ◽  
Takami YAMAGUCHI

2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (01) ◽  
pp. 25-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
KANNAN N. PREMNATH ◽  
JOHN ABRAHAM

In this paper, three-dimensional computations of drop–drop interactions using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) are reported. The LBM multiphase flow model employed is evaluated for single drop problems and binary drop interactions. These include the verification of Laplace–Young relation for static drops, drop oscillations, and drop deformation and breakup in simple shear flow. The results are compared with experimental data, analytical solutions and numerical solutions based on other computational methods, as applicable. Satisfactory agreement is shown. Initial studies of drop–drop interactions involving the head-on collisions of drops in quiescent medium and off-center collision of drops in the presence of ambient shear flow are considered. As expected, coalescence outcome is observed for the range of parameters studied.


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